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Predatory landlords are getting away with far too much in today's housing market, and stronger laws are desperately needed to regulate them. It's also become impossible to find an affordable place. In my city, last I heard, a single one-bedroom apartment costs as much as $2500/month, which is more than most of us make from our jobs. That is completely unacceptable.

Some of my friends have tried to rent below market units, but the conditions are often unlivable with doors, plumbing, electricity, etc. that doesn't work and, in some cases, even major safety hazards. Also unacceptable.

In order to make our housing market affordable again, all rents will need to be lowered to half, or even one third or quarter what they are currently, and higher standards set to the condition of the apartments being rented. Also, it needs to be made harder for landlords to evict tenants, especially for "renovations" they have no intention of ever going through with. One of my past landlords pulled the renoviction scam on me, saying he intended to repair the place but instead putting up a "For Rent" ad as soon as I moved out. That should not be allowed.

And what's with all these housing speculators buying up entire blocks of property and jacking up the rents on them? Why is that allowed, when they clearly add NO IMPROVEMENT to our housing situations, their only contribution being to make it more expensive? There needs to be a crackdown on them as well.

Thanks for your attention into this. It's about time someone started helping the tenants for a change instead of enabling the greed of our landlords.